The Pentagon and the Pivot

摘要

Chinese officials and analysts regard the US pivot towards the Asia-Pacific as a strategy to contain China, despite Washington's claim that it does not focus on a particular country. Instead of accepting either Chinese scepticism or US official statements at face value, this article attempts to trace the origins and examine the evolution of the pivot through the lens of the Pentagon's internal think tank, the Office of Net Assessment (ONA). Drawing on documents produced and sponsored by the office, this article explores trends in its analysis of Asian security and Sino-American relations, the rationale for the pivot and China's role in the United States' Asia-Pacific strategy.